The Ohio State football team will have a new starting quarterback for the third season in a row. After getting Will Howard to transfer in for one year to help them win a national championship, the Buckeyes will have another guy behind center.
Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz are battling for the starting job, although most people believe that Sayin will eventually win the job. Sayin is a former five-star recruit who transferred in from Alabama before his freshman year, once Nick Saban retired.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the unique position of having whichever quarterback wins the job under the massive amount of pressure that comes with defending a national championship. While speaking during Big Ten Media Day, Ryan Day gave an update on where things stand in that quarterback battle.
Ohio State football coach Ryan Day gives an update on the quarterback battle between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz
Day claims that the battle is still neck-and-neck between the two quarterbacks.
Ryan Day said he still views the quarterback competition between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz as neck-and-neck.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) July 22, 2025
Day said the Buckeyes are “going to put them in as many competitive situations as we possibly can” during preseason camp.
Day has always believed in competition, especially at the quarterback position. That's part of the reason why he didn't name a starting quarterback until a couple of games into the 2023 season, when Kyle McCord and Devin Brown were battling. The Buckeyes want to make sure that they have the right guy.
It's likely that Day is just being performative when it comes to talking about the quarterback position. The Buckeyes are not going to announce the winner of the quarterback battle until a few weeks into Fall camp. Even if Sayin wins the battle, he won't announce it yet.
Sayin is likely the most talented quarterback that the Buckeyes have on the roster, so it would make sense that they eventually decide to ride with him. He doesn't have to be a hero with the roster around him, either. He just needs to get the ball to his playmakers.